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Netflix announces slate of new documentaries

Netflix will unveil four new original documentaries in September at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival.

The first of the four new documentaries is titled Amanda Knox, and is described as a detailed look at the infamous murder case that asks the question: “was she a cold-blooded psychopath who brutally murdered her roommate or a naive student abroad trapped in an endless nightmare?”. Tribeca Audience Award-winner Rod Blackhurst and IDA Award-winner Brian McGinn will direct. It will premiere on Netflix on September 30.

The second is Into The Inferno, which follows Werner Herzog and volcanologist Clive Oppenheimer as they explore and examine some of the world’s legendary volcanoes in Indonesia, Ethiopia, Iceland and North Korea. The documentary blends history, philosophy and interviews with both scientists and locals to create a well-rounded look at some of nature’s greatest wonders and their place in local culture. It launches on October 28.

Third is titled The Ivory Game, and, as its name suggests, focuses on the illegal and extinction-threatening practice of ivory trafficking. The documentary is the product of 16 months undercover filming by Award-winning director Richard Ladkani and Academy Award®–nominated director Kief Davidson, in which they spoke to intelligence agents, activists and conservationists to infiltrate the criminal underworld of ivory poaching. Leonardo DiCaprio also serves as an executive producer on the title, which launches on November 4.

The last of the four is The White Helmets, which follows the violence in Aleppo, Syria and Turkey in early 2016. Billed as “moving and inspiring”, The White Helmets explores the lives of three volunteers who risk their lives to help civilian casualties in the war. It is directed by Academy Award®–nominated director Orlando von Einsiedel and will launch on September 16.

Netflix Vice President of Original Documentary Programming, Lisa Nishimura, said: “The breadth of our slate at the Toronto International Film Festival speaks to Netflix’s continued celebration of diverse voices and styles in the world of nonfiction.

“We are committed to pushing the boundaries of the documentary form, and our films screening at Toronto represent both emerging talent and iconic filmmakers during a thrilling time for documentaries.